Jagged Warlord

It is cold in Xuzhou in winter, with one snowfall and another heavy snowfall.After the snow, the city of Xuzhou is covered with snow, and everywhere is a vast expanse of whiteness.The northwest wind blows along the old course of the Yellow River, like needles wrapped in countless needles pricking a person's face, it hurts like a scorching fire.This made Zhang Xun, who grew up in the lower reaches of the Ganjiang River, unable to bear the cold and dared not leave the house for many days.

This place in Xuzhou is also very strange. Although it belongs to the frigid zone of the Yellow River Basin, people in both urban and rural areas have never had the habit of burning kang. When it is cold, country people burn a pile of rotten firewood in their houses, and city people burn an extra coal. Stove, just shut the doors and windows tightly.Here, the house was full of smoky smoke and the air was so thin that Zhang Xun felt suffocated and unbearable.Therefore, for the past few days, he has always walked around the room in a restless manner, with his brows furrowed and his face full of sorrow, and he doesn't say a word to anyone.

The SS broke through Zhang Wensheng's line of defense in just one day and approached the city of Xiao County. Once Xiao County was lost, Xuzhou probably would not be able to keep it.And not long ago, Zhang Xun did another wrong thing because of impulsiveness-he killed Zhou Xiangjun, one of the members of Nanshe.

Zhou Xiangjun was born in Maqian Village, Suining County, Jiangsu Province.The word Zhongmu, nickname Gengsheng, is known as "Mr. Fengshan" in the world.When the Revolution of 12 broke out, Zhou Xiangjun ventured from Nanjing to Zhenjiang to participate in the military affairs of the Ninth Town. After Bai Wenwei and others conquered Nanjing in December, he was hired by Bai Wenwei as the military advisor of the first town.After Zhang Xun fled to Xuzhou, Zhou Xiangjun also sneaked back to Xuzhou secretly, under the cover of Xuzhou Provincial No. [-] Normal Teacher, to prepare for driving Zhang Yingbai.Zhou Xiangjun was killed on charges of "accumulating money to recruit bandits and sneaking into the rebellious party".After Zhou Xiangjun was imprisoned, his son Zhou Gongquan rushed to Beijing starry night to seek help from Xu Shuzheng, who was then the Deputy Minister of the Army.Because Zhou Xiangjun is Xu's classmate, and the relationship is extraordinary, Xu Shuzheng immediately telegraphed Zhang Xun to release him.After Zhang Xun received the telegram, not only did he not let him go, but he executed Zhou Xiangjun immediately, and called back saying that he had been killed the week before receiving the telegram, and the matter was irreversible.

Xu Shuzheng had always had a very high opinion of himself, so what Zhang Xun did was slap him in the face.Therefore, Li Mohan's SS army pressed on every step of the way. Even the defeated Zhang Xun sent several telegrams to the Ministry of War and Yuan Shikai, but it was like nothing happened.

What makes Zhang Xun even more uneasy is that a few days ago, his inspection of the Yangtze River caused the Yamen to catch fire inexplicably, and the flames scattered and exploded.The soldiers on watch at night didn't know where the fire came from, so they shouted and shouted.Due to the anxiety for many days, Zhang Xun was in a trance.In the middle of the night, people shouted and mistook that the SS had already entered Xuzhou City. Zhang Xun quickly got up, dragged Xinna's concubine Wang Keqin and ran out.Hurriedly, he got into the Kuaizai Pavilion, still panting heavily—after a moment of composure, he realized that he and Wang Keqin were both wearing thin pajamas, with bare feet, and even their hair was disheveled.

Kuaizai Pavilion is an elegant and leisurely place in Xuzhou.It was originally the "Yangchun Pavilion" of Xue Neng, the governor of Xuzhou in the Tang Dynasty, which was abandoned early.In the Song Dynasty, Li Bangchi rebuilt Xuzhou, and Su Shi was a good friend of Li. When he knew Xuzhou, he inscribed the forehead of "Kuaizai Pavilion" and wrote a couplet: qShaanzai Kuaizai, it is indeed Kuaizai! It became a good place for people to do morning exercises. Zhang Xun brought it The concubine threw herself into the Kuaizai Pavilion at night, and some people suspected that she was a mediocre person. The crowd shouted and beat them, making noise for half a day. When the sun rose in the east, it was known that Marshal Braid had taken refuge here. Therefore, people widely circulated: "Zhang Xun killed Zhou Xiangjun, Zhou Xiangjun became the land god, and he came here to set fire to him. "For a while, the city was full of wind and rain.

What bothered Zhang Xun more than this was that Yuan Shikai in Beijing wanted to be emperor.Zhang Xun strongly disapproved of this, and Zhang Xun stubbornly believed that Yuan Shikai was "not a dragon."There is now an authentic dragon species that is staying in the Forbidden City, and that is Puyi. As long as Puyi is still there, whoever becomes the emperor is a rebel.

Now the question is: Yuan Shikai became emperor, does Zhang Xun support him or oppose him? Support him, it is really against his will; Test yourself.

Zhang Xun couldn't make up his mind for a while, feeling a little suffocated, he opened the window gently and looked outside.It was late at night, and a strong wind blew, and the wind rolled the snow particles, and the snow particles sprinkled on the ground and on the roof, making a "rustling" sound.

Zhang Xun put on a bearskin hat, pushed open the door and walked out, standing in the courtyard blankly on the creaking snow, looking up at the sky, the stars looked very bright.When Zhang Xun was a child, he heard a scholar say that the ancient masters could judge good or bad luck based on the celestial phenomena. He also wanted to look at the celestial phenomena to see if he could figure out something from the strangeness of the celestial phenomena.He looked up at the sky for a long time, and felt that the stars were the same as in the past, scattered all over the sky, and the sky had no edge.After looking at it for a while, there was nothing to be gained except that the air-conditioning went straight into the neck.

Zhang Xun let out a long sigh, and was about to go back to the house when he saw the Chief of Staff Wan Shengzhe walking quickly all the way, Wan Shengzhang hit Zhang Xun from a long distance, and said: "Commander, the Japanese are here, waiting in the flower hall .”

"Why are the Japanese here?" Zhang Xun was a little surprised

Wan Shengji replied: "The person here claims to be Tian Nobuo, and he is a Japanese businessman."

"Businessman?" Zhang Xun was even more surprised, "Go and see."

"Hey." Wan Shengji led the way, and Zhang Xun straightened his clothes and went to the flower hall.As soon as I entered the flower hall, I saw a short, bow-legged Japanese man with a Rendan beard looking around in the flower hall.

"Your Excellency is here for the Yangtze River patrol." A soldier called out loudly

The Japanese turned his head and saw Zhang Xun coming out of the inner courtyard. With a professional smile on his face, he shrank his neck and bowed to Zhang Xun, "Master Zhang, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Zhang Xun bowed his hands to him, "Who is your Excellency?"

"Oh, I, Nobuo Tian, ​​is a businessman." Nobuo Tian replied with a smile

"I don't remember that I bought anything for you?" Zhang Xun said.

"I have something to sell to you, my lord." Tian Xinfu smiled all over his face, and his facial features were all crowded together, looking very wretched.

"What?" Zhang Xun frowned

"The friendship of the Great Japanese Empire." Nobuo Tian raised his head high

Zhang Xun snorted coldly, and asked, "I don't understand what your Excellency said."

Tian Xinfu smiled slightly and said: "Your Excellency's army has been repeatedly defeated. Li Mohan's SS Army in Henan Province had captured Xiao County three hours ago, and Yuan Shikai ignored Your Excellency. If you don't get a strong With the help of your allies, I am afraid that your wealth and honor will come to an end here."

"Presumptuous!" Zhang Xun patted the assistant on the chair, "Xiao County is guarded by heavy soldiers from our Dingwu Army, how come~~~"

"Report!" Before Zhang Xun could finish his sentence, a soldier rushed over to report, "Report to your lord, Xiao County has fallen."

"What?" In a hurry, Zhang Xun stood up with a bang, because the hem of his long gown was hooked and torn because of his violent movements.

Tian Xinfu said triumphantly: "How about it, I didn't deceive you, did I?"

Zhang Xun sat back in his seat dejectedly, fixed his eyes on Nobuo Tian, ​​and asked, "Tell me, what do you Japanese want me to do?"

Tian Xinfu showed a victorious smile, and said lightly: "It's not a bad thing. We think the reason why China is so confused now is because there is no emperor. China cannot live without an emperor~~~"